A personal assistant (PA) supports an individual to live more independently, usually in their own home. Working as a personal assistant can be a very rewarding career and there are lots of opportunities to progress.
As a personal assistant you'll work directly with one or more individuals to support them with various aspects of their daily life. This could be in their own home, in the community, at leisure or at work.
If you're interested in becoming a personal assistant, find out more in the 'What is a PA' section below. There's also practical advice to help you find work, do training and access support networks.
Our resources explain more about the role for those interested in working as a personal assistant, and for those already working in the role.
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Have you ever considered what makes a really great personal assistant for someone with autism? Written by people with autism, their carers, families and professionals because they want to help you understand how to be the best PA you can be.
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This guide is to help you support your employer and grow in your role as a personal assistant.
You and your employer
Understanding the nature of the employer and personal assistant relationship Is essential. Being a personal assistant is the same as having any other job. personal assistant have an employer who will have a certain expectations of how they would like their personal assistant to conduct themselves at work.
An employer has certain responsibilities towards their personal assistant , but every employer might do things in a different way.
Working as a PA is unlikely to be like any other role within health and social care. It can be complicated and intense, but also fulfilling. PA working is a shift in power away from care being provided to someone, to people having choice and control over how they are supported to live their life the way they want to. PAs can be involved in all aspects of an individual’s life, and this involves trust on both sides for it to be effective. It’s a collaboration.
Employers and their PAs should agree to:
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Work together to promote independence, support choice and show mutual respect.
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Recognise each other’s differences with regard to personality, culture and lifestyle. Communicate in an open and honest way so that we understand each other.
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Grow together: learning from each other’s life experiences, developing new skills, recognising the time needed to be confident in our roles.
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Be flexible when appropriate, whilst managing expectations.
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Recognise and respect the boundaries of our working relationship and those around us.
I like to see the smile on Anne’s face and the difference I can make to her life, making it possible to live her
life the way she wants and take part in the things she wants.
Kelly
Personal assistant
Personal assitant toolkit
Our Being a personal assistant toolkit is for people who want to be, or are already working as, a personal assistant. It explains more about the role, why it’s a great job, and how you can find work. It also has useful information about what to expect when you first start and what learning and development you could do.
Individual Employer Funding
This funding can be used to cover training costs to develop your skills as an employer, direct costs of completing training/qualifications, hiring replacement support whilst your usual PA is attending training courses and travel.